PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY ON PANAX-GINSENG MEYER,C.A. .14. EFFECT OF 70-PERCENT METHANOLIC EXTRACT FROM RED GINSENG ON THE CYTOCIDAL EFFECT OF MITOMYCIN-C AGAINST RAT ASCITES HEPATOMA AH-130

The influence of the 70% methanolic extract (RMe) from Red Ginseng (a steamed and dried root of Panax ginseng C. A. MEYER) on the antitumor activity of mitomycin C (MMC) against rat ascites hepatoma AH 130 was investigated. In the case of a solid tumor, RMe at oral doses of 200, 500 mg/kg showed an inhibitory effect, but RMe was ineffective in the case of an ascites tumor. MMC combined with RMe showed a stronger antitumor effect than MMC alone. Moreover, RMe inhibited the pulmonary metastases of the tumor cells, as well as the decrease of blood platelet counts and of the fibrinogen level induced by the infusion of the tumor cells in rats. Furthermore, RMe promoted the uptake of MMC into the tumor cells and enhanced in vitro the cytotoxicity of MMC against the cultured tumor cells.